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Tech Soft 3D Enables Full 3D CAD Access for AR and VR Applications

New release of AR/VR support for HOOPS Visualize allows engineers in manufacturing, architecture and construction to view and interact with 3D CAD models in AR/VR environments.

New release of AR/VR support for HOOPS Visualize allows engineers in manufacturing, architecture and construction to view and interact with 3D CAD models in AR/VR environments.

HOOPS VR: Import CAD models into AR and VR applications and retain the assembly tree and other engineering features with Tech Soft 3D’s AR/VR Support for Hoops Visualize. Image courtesy of Tech Soft 3D.

By DE Editors

December 4, 2018

Tech Soft 3D, a provider of software development tools and 3D PDF solutions to the engineering software industry, announces AR/VR support for HOOPS Visualize, a graphics engine for developing high-performance applications. HOOPS Visualize now enables rapid development and deployment of 3D engineering applications on the HTC Vive, Microsoft HoloLens, Oculus Rift and Meta 2.

“Developers in manufacturing and AEC can now easily create compelling applications using HOOPS Visualize and HOOPS Exchange and deploy them within immersive VR and AR headsets, as well as mobile AR applications,” says Gavin Bridgeman, CTO at Tech Soft 3D. “Being able to use HOOPS toolkits for one of the most cutting edge areas of technology shows the flexibility and versatility of our solution.”

SOLIDWORKS, a long-time partner of Tech Soft 3D, is using HOOPS Visualize within eDrawings for mobile.

“Being able to add augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) like the Google Cardboard to eDrawings mobile with a single click helps our customers create compelling presentations and 3D interactions. It easily communicates design intent, constraints and overall improves the collaboration process,” says Arnav Mukherjee, development director, Viewer & Experimental Technology at SOLIDWORKS. “Because we were already using HOOPS Visualize as the graphics engine on iOS and Android, adding these capabilities on these multiple platforms was straightforward and a powerful addition to eDrawings.”

“Because we were re-inventing the future of AR, we needed a solution that would easily bring rich engineering and architectural data to our environment. This way we could focus on innovation and user experience,” says Cecilia Abadie, director of Product Management at Meta.

​Virtalis, a visualization company, is also using HOOPS Exchange to quickly import over 20 different CAD formats into their Visionary Render and VR4CAD applications. Virtalis’ applications make it quick and easy for CAD engineers and designers to view, investigate and annotate their CAD models using VR goggles or 3D screens, Tech Soft 3D reports.

“As a longtime partner of Tech Soft 3D, we’ve been using HOOPS Exchange to bring CAD data into our advanced visualization environment, and the experience has been nothing short of spectacular,” says Andrew Connell, technology director at Virtalis. “Using HOOPS Exchange has been extremely easy, while also maintaining high fidelity of the data. I can’t imagine using anything else to bring in CAD data into our applications.”